Embroidery machine



4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR FRITZ I HM BHCH Aug. 28, 1956 F. LAMBACH EMBROIDERY MASHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1954 @ni owiLm, @H s lidia.. ss. is F a ll Aug. 28, 1956 Filed Feb. 18, 1954 F. LAMBACH EMBROIDERY MACHINE 4 Sheets-$heet 2 a 7e 2o l l l\\m /m l||||||||||l|||| Hllll ve 1 e 2O www Ll# m 4 8O le INVENTR FRITZ LFIM BHOH ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1956 F. LAMBACH 2,760,454

EMBROIDERY MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 5a 325 a@ /f 32 alle ,ne ,10% "a \e,

` 00 loa loo INVENTOR FRITZ. LQMBQCH Aug. 28, 1956 F. LAMBACH 2,760,454

EMBROIDERY MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR FRITZ L HMBQCH BY Q' ATTORNEY Unite EIVMREERY MA Prim Lambacb, Terraily, N. 3., assigner to Robert Reiner Inc., Weehawlren, N. Si.

This invention relates to embroidery machines, and more particularly to the mechanism for displacing the embroidery frame relative to the frame work of the embroidery machine during the operation thereof.

Embroidery machines are very long and consequently the embroidery frame is of very great length. In the hitherto customary embroidery machines the mechanism for actuating the movable embroidery frame is connected with the embroidery frame at one end thereof, so that the operating speed of the embroidery machine must be kept rather low so as to avoid undesirable oscillations of the embroidery frame during the operation of the emboridery machine which result in inaccuracies in the pattern embroidered on the fabric.

- An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for the actuation of the embroidery frame, by means of which oscdlations of the embroidery frame are avoided during the displacements thereof, so that the embroidery machine may be operated at a high speed and, as a result, the output of the machine may be increased.

A further object of the invention is to improve on the art of embroidery machines as now customarily made.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. l is a diagrammatical front elevational View of an embroidery machine according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a top elevational view, partly in section of the detail shown in Pig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4- of Fig. l,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top elevational view, partly in section, of the detail shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the detail shown in Fig. 4 as seen in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 2, and

Fig 8 is a front elevational view of the detail shown in Fig. 4 as seen in the direction of the arrow 8.

In the drawings only those parts of an embroidery machine are shown which are necessary for the understanding of the invention.

Referring now to Fig. l, it? generally indicates the frame work of the embroidery machine. Said frame work lli comprises two end frames 12 and 14 and a plurality of pillars 16 mounted on the foundation of the embroidery machine and connected with each other by suitable elements, for example a tie rod 18. Each end frame l2 and lll includes an upright 2li and 22 respectively forming a vertical track for a sliding member 24 and 26 respectively.

An embroidery frame generally indicated by 23 and composed of a plurality of girders and connecting elements is movably arranged in the frame Work of the machine. The arrangement is such, that the embroidery Patented Aug. 28, 1956 it Q frame 28 may perform movements in upward, downward and in longitudinal directions. For this purpose longitudinally extending tubular rods 30 (see Figs. l, 4-6 and 8) of the embroidery frame 2S are slidably engaged with the horizontal bearings 32 of a series of bearing units generally indicated by 34. Each bearing unit 3d comprises also a vertical bearing 36 which is slidably engaged with a tubular rod 38 attached in a suitable manner to a pillar lo. Each bearing unit 34 is connected to one end of a strap di) trained around a pulley 42 rotatably mounted on the pillar le. The other end of each strap 4i) is connected in a suitable manner through the medium of a longitudinal rod 43 with a balancing device generally indicated by 44, said balancing device being arranged at the right hand end of the embroidery frame as shown in Fig. l. Furthermore the end portions of the embroidery frame 28 are also connected in a suitable manner with the balancing device 44. It will be readily understood from above, that the slidable engagement of the rods 3d of the embroidery frame 28 with the horizontal bearings 32 of the bearing units 34 and the slidable engagement of the vertical bearings 3o of said bearing units with the vertical rods 33 of the frame work l@ permit a displacement of the embroidery frame Z8 relative to the frame work l() in horizontal and in vertical directions.

The embroidery frame 23 carries two series of rollers 46 and 43 for holding two lengths of fabrics 50 and 52 to be embroidered.

An automat 54 arranged at the left hand end of the embroidery machine shown in Fig. l may subject the embroidery frame 25 to horizontal movements and to vertical movements during the operation of the machine.

The reciprocating 'horizontal movements in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine are obtained by means of an actuating element 5d rigidly connected with the embroidery frame 2S at 5S and operatively engaged with a member 66 of the automat 54,

.The reciprocating vertical movements of the embroidery frame ZS are obtained by the following mechanism:

The lower end of the actuating or sliding member 24 is rigidly connected with a rack 62 meshing with a pinion 64 connected with a driving shaft 66 of the automat 54. The upward end of the sliding member 24 carries a roller o3 slidably engaged with a member 7i! secured to the upward left hand end portion of the embroidery frame 28.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the sliding member 24 carries a plurality of rollers 72 engaged with the track 74 of the upright 2li for the performance of reciprocating vertical movements.

Furthermore as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7, a rack 76 is rigidly connected with the upper end of the sliding member 24. Said rack 76 is in mesh with a pinion '7S keyed to a shaft Si? journalled in suitable bearings of a bracket 2 mounted on the frame work of the machine. A stationary roller Se mounted on a plate 86 serves to hold the rack 76 in engagement with the pinion 78. A gear S8 of larger size than the pinion 78 is keyed to the shaft Sil and meshes with a pinion 90 1seyed to a pin 92 rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing arranged on the bracket 82. Said pin 92 is rigid with the section 96a of a tubular shaft 6 through the medium of a sleeve 9d rigidly engaged with said pin 92 and one end of said section 96a of the tubular shaft 96.

According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the tubular shaft 96 extending longitudinally of the machine parallel to the embroidery frame 28 is composed of four sections 96a, 9617, 96C and 96d. Adjacent sections are connected with each other by suitable coupling means as illustrated for example in Fig. 5 for the adjacent sections 96a and 96h of the tubular shaft 96.

As shown in Fig. 5, the end portion of the section 96a of the tubular shaft 96 passes with clearance through a bore 9S of the pillar 16. One end of a coupling rod 16u is rigid with said end of the section 96a by means of a sleeve 102 rigidly'engaged with the end of the section 96a and the coupling rod 196. The coupling rod 190 is journalled in a bearing 104 mounted on a bracket 106 attached to the pillar 16. The other end of the coupling rod 1426 carrying a pinion 108 is rigid with the adjacent section 96b of the tubular shaft 96 through the medium of a sleeve 119 rigidly engaged with said end of the coupling rod 160 and the end of the section 96h of the tubular shaft 96.

The pinion 16S meshes with a gear 112 rotatably arranged on a pin 115i and rigid with a pinion 116 meshing with a rack 118 secured to the bearing unit 34. The pin 114 carrying the gear 112 and pinion 116 and another pin 120 carrying a roller 122 are mounted on a portion of the bracket 196. The roller 122 holds the rack 118 in engagement with the pinion 116. Thus a rotation of the tubular shaft 96 imparted to the latter by the automat 54 through the actuating member 24 (see Figs. 1-3 and 7) and the rack 76 and the train of gears 78, 88, 9G is transmitted to the bearing unit 34 (see Figs. l and 4 6) for causing a vertical movement of the embroidery frame 28.

The operative connection of the tubular shaft 96 with the other bearing units 34 near the other pillars 16 is identical With the connection described above in connection with Figs. 4-6 and S.

The operative connection of the right hand end of the tubular shaft 96 with the sliding member 26 (see Fig. l) carrying a roller 124 engaged with a member 126 attached to the right hand upper end portion of the embroidery frame 28 corresponds to the connection of the left hand end of the tubular shaft 96 with the sliding mem-ber 24 as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7. However the sliding member 26 is not directly connected with the automat 54. Y

When a horizontal movement is imparted to the embroidery frame 2S by means of the shifting element 56 driven by the automat 54, the rods 30 of the embroidery frame 28 slide in the horizontal bearings 32 of the bearing units 34 and the members 70 and 126 at the ends of the embroidery frame 28 move along the rollers 68 and 124 carried by the members 24 and 26 respectively.

When a vertical ascending movement is imparted to the embroidery frame 2d by means of the sliding member 24 driven by the automat 54, said sliding m-ember 2d lifts the left hand end portion of the embroidery frame 28 at the point of engagement of its roller 68 with the member 70. At the same time the tubular shaft 96 is rotated whereby through the medium of the transmissions between said tubular shaft 96 and the bearing units 34 the latter are lifted thus lifting the embroidery frame 28 at the points of engagement of their horizontal bearing 32 with the rods 30. During such a lifting of the bearing units 34, the vertical bearings 36 slide along the rods 38. Furthermore, simultaneously with the lifting of the sliding member 24 at the left hand end of the machine and the rotation of the tubular shaft 96 the sliding member 26 at the right hand end of the machine is lifted by means of the transmission arranged between the right hand end of the tubular shaft 96 and said sliding member 26, so that the latter lifts the right hand end of the embroidery frame 2S at the point of engagement of its roller 124 with the member 126 mounted on the embroidery frame 28.

The embroidery frame 28 is of great length. Owing to above described arrangement for lifting the embroidery frame 28 simultaneously at spaced points and especially at both ends thereof, vibrations of the embroidery frame Cil 28 during displacements thereof are avoided, so that the 70 embroidery machine can be run at a high speed. Preferably the ratio of the elements of the transmisson between the actuating element 24 and the longitudinal shaft 96 is higher than 1:1, so that a high circumferential speed of the tubular shaft 96 is obtained. Moreover the tubular shaft 96 is hollow and is made of thin material. These matters contribute to an elimination of a torsion of the tubular shaft 96 driven at one end thereof, so that the right hand end of the tubular shaft 96 is rotated in perfect synchronization with the left hand end and an accurate uniform lifting of the embroidery frame 28 is obtained.

A uniform displacement of the embroidery frame 28 and the elimination of oscillations during the displacements of the embroidery frame 2S in turny avoid inaccuracies of the pattern to be embroidered on the fabric.

I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

For example one or all of the transmissions between the bearing units 2d and the longitudinal shaft 96 can be omitted. Y

Moreover different types of transmissions between the automat 54 and the longitudinal shaft 96 and/ or between the tubular shaft 96 and the various'points of the em-V broidery frame can be used.

What l claim is:

broidered, said embroidery frame being movably arranged in said frame work for movements in horizontal and vertical directions, a shaft extending longitudinally of the machine in horizontal direction l parallel to said ernbroidery frame, said shaft being rotatably arranged in said frame work, an actuating element slidably mounted in said frame work for the performance of vertical movements, said actuating element being slidably engaged with horizontallyextending engaging means of said embroidery frame for supporting same and permitting relative movements of the latter in horizontal direction, a first transmission operativelyv connectedrwith said actuating element and said rotatable shaft, at least one additional transmission operatively connected with said shaft at a point of said embroidery'frame longitudinally spaced.

wherein said actuating element is engaged with one endA portion of said embroidery frame and additional transmissions are operatively connected With the other end portion and at least one intermediate point of the embroidery frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 271,182 Warth 1an) 23,'. 1883 1,160,338 Stellmacher Nov. 16,1915

PoRntoN PATENTS 34,606. switzerland sept. 13, 1905 

